‘Thank you for confirming that. We have your address and lecture timetable on file.’
She glanced at Jacob and he nodded. ‘Yes, I can confirm that we do.’
‘We spoke about how well you knew Amber Slater yesterday and you mentioned that you’d tried to help her when she thought someone had been watching her in the university car park before Christmas.’
‘I’ve told you all I know.’ He brought his hands up from below the table, linked them and leaned back. He was beginning to relax.
Now Gina was going in with the thing that was going to raise his hackles. ‘Tell me about Scarlett Gregory.’
‘What?’ His jaw clenched. ‘No way. What the hell does that have to do with Amber Slater?’ He pinched the top of his nose and scrunched his brow as if he was trying to relieve a headache.
‘We know there was an allegation of inappropriate behaviour. She was your student and she was asking for your help.’
‘That was all dropped. It was a lie. I don’t need this. I have a family now, children and a wife.’ He grabbed his glasses and dropped them on the table as he began to massage his temples.
Gina didn’t say a word, sometimes she knew it was best to remain silent and the interviewee would talk without further question.
A moment passed and he sighed. ‘It didn’t happen in the way she said it did. She kissed me after a drink and then told everyone that it was me that kissed her. She then got so full of herself.’ He shook his head. ‘She seemed to think I was following her. I mean, she got me suspended all over nothing. I just want to forget it now. I didn’t do it. Charges were dropped.’
There was a knock at the door. She spotted Briggs through the small window and stood.
Jacob spoke for the tape. ‘DI Harte is leaving the room.’
‘Keep the tape running.’
Mr Collins remained in silence looking away from Jacob as she left. Once the door had firmly closed, Gina walked a few paces down the corridor. ‘You’ve got something, haven’t you? What is it?’
‘Three emails dated early January between Clayton Collins and Amber Slater. We found them on her laptop.’
As Briggs handed her a printout, he touched her arm with his finger sending a little electrical wave of pleasure through her. She scanned them quickly. ‘This puts a whole new light on the case. Anything else?’
He paused and moved his hand away. ‘Yes, an email confirming that she subscribed to a dating site about a month ago.’
‘Thank you. I’ll catch up with you in a bit.’
As she entered, Jacob announced her return.
‘Mr Collins, we’ve found something interesting, emails between you and Amber. You can stop lying to us about your relationship with her.’
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. He grabbed his glasses from the table and pushed them up his nose. His frown now hidden by the round lenses.
‘Tell us about this one.’ Gina began to read the email aloud. ‘Amber, last night was special to me. I hope it was as special to you. I’m desperate to see you again. Clay.’
He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I suppose you’ve already made up your minds. What the hell is the point?’
‘I’d rather hear it in your words. We have her replies too, and further emails that were sent between you both.’
The heater whirred into action, fanning the room with a fresh burst of most welcome warm air. ‘After the incident before Christmas, I began walking her to her car after lectures to make sure she was safe. She was nervous, I could tell. I just wanted to help her but we got chatting. She liked talking about anything she was watching on TV and I enjoyed listening to her. One night, early January, she kissed me. It came from nowhere. I tried to ignore her attention but then she’d send me little notes saying what she’d like to do with me and I suppose I was flattered. I mean, she was so young, confident and fun to be around and I’m thirty-seven and bogged down with life. She was showering me with attention. I suppose I got carried away, swept up in it all, but I didn’t hurt her. It all lasted about three weeks then it was over as quickly as it started.’
‘Were you and Amber Slater in a sexual relationship?’
He scrunched his brow. ‘What do you think?’
‘Please answer the question, Mr Collins.’
He began to grind his teeth. ‘I don’t see why I should have to answer that. It’s private. It was all a mistake and I love my wife. I was stupid and I messed up.’
‘Mr Collins, was your relationship with Amber Slater sexual?’
